carputer install: I dare you...

i've started reading this forum (for 6 curious months) and I have to say im actually dreading installing the thing for the first few time given the number of horror stories on this forum. I'm waiting for the screen and have spent considerable money at this point so failure mustn't be an option.

I'd like to call out to all carputer owners who can say 'I did it and it worked and has been working flawlessly for x number of months'

No opus started winking at me, lilliput put on a face, windows ****ed on my seats or the via poohed in its own case

Who has done it and is living the dream. A carputer that works and has been working for a while. Does such a thing even exist?

With so many separate devices all running together I'd imagine the likelyhood of reliable harmonious operation is small. so please prove me wrong. And if I'm right why do we do it? is there somthing wrong with carputer people? are they mentle? do they wake up in the morning and think carputer? do they walk into an electronics strore and find it difficult not to start thinking about carputer? does their woman hate carputer (cause it dosn't work)? do they not have a woman because of carputer? do they care (they have carputer after all)? do they find it hard to listen to other people in the car for thinking about carputer?do they check frodoplayer sub-forum hourly for a new release? when carputer is finished are they in denial and say 'carputer is never finished'? is carputer ever finished?

My set up has evolved over time and had a few hicups, (when I change stuff, and nothing bad)

My PS always works, The screen is great. The keypad is fine. I have a simple set up:
Celeron 300a integrated MB, Desktop HD, a keypad and 14 inch LCD desktop. I only play music and use W2k as an OS.
My deck has RCA AUX in so that is simple also.

Parts of the system have been in use for more than 4 years, no PC hardware failures. The drive has the longest service time.

i had my system up for 5 months now, i had some problems but nothing that i would consider bad. i am running a regular 5.25 hard drive with a inverter and a shutdown controller ,no problems with the drive or the inverter, the only thing i added to the inverter was a surge protector with EMI protection between my pc and the inverter to eliminate a tiny noise problem ,it is now noise free 100% and sounds fantastic .

as of a month ago i put everything in in a weekend. so far its working great. ive done a lot of stuff to my truck and car (new engine, 2 lifts, starter...) so i know how things usually go. But this has probably been one of the smoothest mods ive done. i can say ive had almost no problems. im using an inverter, xenarc 700sv touchscreen, western digital 13.6gb p4 1.5 w/ some full size mobo, gps, and a keyboard in the visor; all running with frodoplayer (thanks frodo). this was a glove box install so its not like i had a lot of room to work with either. take that for what its worth though and good luck.

It's worth it, if you take the time, take the money, and do it right, it'll be rewarding. I 'skimped' and bought a lilliput, it works great. I only have one issue and that's when my music starts getting real loud, it skips, and my carputer restarts if this continues for too long, i'm pretty sure it's skipping because the amp is maybe turning on/off, but it's most likely my battery, which is pretty old.

Meant to ask u chaps -I'm completely paranoid about frying my boards with static everytime I accidently touch a board i keep thinkin its gonna be f**ked. what are the chances ? is it like high risk or would you have to be pretty unluck?